Fence rail connection



w. RlcH 1,840,2 78

FENCE RAIL CONNECTION Ja'n. 5,- 1932.

Filed Dec. 30. 1929 l 1 l I l l l 'I ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 5, 1932 UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFicE WAIILACE S. RICH, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR T0 THE STEWAR-T IRON I WORKS COMPANY, OF COVINGTON, KENTU'CKY, A CORPORATION OF KENTUCKY FENCE RAIL CONNECTION Application filed December 30, 1929. Serial No, 417,478

novel cross-section for compactness of construction, maximum strength and pleasing `5 appearance; further, to provide a fence comprising posts formed with webs extending lengthwise thereof and perpendicular to the plane of the fence and having oppositely eX- tending fiang'es at each edge of the web, and

a rail extending lengthwse of the fence of a .cross-section similar to the cross-section of the posts, the webs of the posts provided with openings of similar cross-section through which the rail extends and in which the rail is arranged to have a horizontal position or positions at various angles to the horizontal in the plane of the fence; and, further, to provide novel connecting means between the ends of the rail and the end posts.

It is the obj ect of my invention, further, to provide novel construction of posts which are substantially of I-beam form in cross-section and have upper portions which are bent into overhanging relation to the main upright portions of the posts and are integral with the latter; and, further, to provide posts which are of substantial I-form in cross-section, the outer surfaces of the fianges thereof being rounded for increasing the cross-sectional area of the posts and modifying the side edges thereof to avoid sharp corners.

The invention will befurther readily understood from the following description and claims, and from the drawings, in which latter: w

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a fence embodying my invention.`

Fig. 2v is an enlarged perspective view of the same, partly broken away. v

Fg. 3 is a Vertical section of the same, taken on the line 3-8 of Fig. 2, and partly broken away. p w

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, taken on the Vline 4-4 of Fig. 2, showing the connecting means betweenthe end of the rail and the end p Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing the connecting means between the butt ends of rail Sections, taken on the Vline 5-5 of Fig. 2.

I Fig. 6 isva horizontal section of a detail,

taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2, showing means for .securing the wire fabric to the rail. Fig. 7 is a Vertical section of the same, taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross-section of a detail showing 14, extending from the sides of the web at the respective edges of the web. w The outer faces of these fianges are rounded, as shown at 15, for increasing the cross-sectional dimensions of the middle portions of the connected double fianges in the plane off the web, whereby a compact structure is formed, the structure having extreme strength and rigidity, and whereby the outer edges 16 of the flanges are rounded so as to avoid sharp Corners, thereby preventing injury by contact therewith of humans and animals, and providing a post which may be of unusual height and at the same time be rigid and resist bending stresses in all directions.

At the top of the post there is an overhanging portion 21 which is preferably formed integral with the upright portion of the post, as by removing a triangular section 22, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 10, this triangular section including a portion of the web 12 and of the oppositely extending double flange 13 at one side of the web, the opposite double fiange 14 being bent so as to cause a meeting of the walls 23, 24, of the recess formed by removal of said triangular section 22, the said walls being butted upon each other and the said butted edges 4 being welded together, as indicated at 25, whereby said overhanging slanting portion 21 is integral with the upright portion of the post.

A rigid structure is formed by bending the non-severed double vflange 14V and welding the abutting edges between the double' flange 13 i at the opposite edge of the wedge.

. other at said abutting ends.

In order further to provide a neat appearance for this overhanging portion, the under double flange thereof is partially removed, for instance along the margins 28, and the upper overhanging portion of said double fiange and lower portion of the web are re- :stantially I-form in cross-section, and com- 'prises a web 32 and oppositely extending double flanges 33, 34,'extending from'the respectivesidesfof said 'web at'both edges thereof, the middle -por'tions of said double flanges being "formed 'thicker and round'ed, as at '35,

for increasing the metal thereof in the plane 'of the iweb, and formingla rail of compact Jform andstrongconstruction. (See Fig's. 3 and-5). The 'outer edges'of said flanges are Tounded voutwardly fin cross-section, Vas shown rat 36,:for avoiding sharp cornerslfor prevent- Vfiinginjuryfto-humans and animals.

The sections of the Irail are made lin desirable lengths,1bu`t as these fences are fin pracvltice 'usually quite vlongfiand longer than Ithe len'gth'of 'a rail section, the 'proximate butt 'ends"of'=rail Sections are connected by providing a sleeve Vllliprovided with'a'recess having "a cross-section-similar to the cross-section of ithe Erail, 'the `sleeve being received -about the "abutting ends o'f the proxim'ate rail Sections. The s'leeve 41 is prefera'bly made in 'two Sections, vdivided, valong the fparting lines 42, and =are presented oppositely 'toward each (See .Figs i 2 and 5)., The'sleeve Sections have inwardly o `ex'tending walls 48 received in the grooves 4:4

=c`esses 45 inwhich the respective flanges'of V'the .ra1l .'se'c'tion's'. are received.

at fthe respective sidesof the 'rail sections, the sleeve :sections Vbeing'provided with re- A xconnecting bolt 46 is received through .holes 'in'said sleeve Sections -and between the :proximateends of the rail sections, a nut 47 threaded :over said bolt clamping the `parts V`together. The head of the .bolt and the nut Vare zreceived inV the vgrooves e18 -extending rlengthwi-se of the sleeve. i

e l' I`he1upper portion ofV the ypost is provided with an opening V51 of substantially vI-form, eorresponding substantially 'to the cross-sec- 'tional lfor1n'''of'the rail.` (See Figs.V 2 and'3).

This'opening comprises a'central slot 52 and V'cross-slotsV 53, '{54, 'respectively'at 'the upper end and at the lower end of said upright slot. The middle portions of the upper wall Vof the slot 53 and of the lower wall of the slot 54: are hollow-ed away fromthe Vertical slot, formlng rounded walls 55, which 'conform substantlally to'the cross-sectional form of the outer facesof the mating'flanges at the respective edges of the web of the rail 31.

The upper and lower walls' of the laterally 'extendin'g slots 'respectively'are /s'eparated sufficiently to form laterally 'extendingislots which inl-height lare greater than the Vheights of the laterally extending double Webs of the rail, inorder zthat1the'rail may be placed in said slot not only horizontally but at various lang'les vto the =horizontal. With .thisiconstruc- -tion, when-aj fence lis built on sloping-ground, the posts may be"placed^vertically in 'the ground and the .rail may be` located in the openings *and have suificient play therein so ithat the rail'may be placed'at various angles to the Vertical posts .toarrange'the-rail in -parallelism with the ground. e

A strap 58 is received -aboutthe-periphery ofthe end'post in'the horizontal planel of the rail, and is provided zwith 'flanges '59 extending' lengthwiseof the Vproximate end of 'the rail and received in =t`he=side grooves Mc of the rail. .'(See Figs. '2 and 45). A boltf60 is received 'through complemental holes in said flanges and in the webfiofithe rail, a nut G1 'being receivedabout'the threaded end of said 'bolt forjclampingthe 'parts in position. i

The rail opening may beornittedffrom the end post so-'aslto permit the-end of the rail 'to butt firmly against the web of the end post, the strap 58 fastening said fbut't end of the rail in such position and jpreventing relative movementbetween'the'post and the 'rail lengthwise of the rail 'in both directions'.

The flanges 14- of the ipost are provided with 'matingV holes vv64, these lhlesbeing preferably arranged in Jgroups, Vfor "instance of four in a group, and 'thejgroups being'arranged in spaced-apart relation at different ,points in the h-eightiof the post.

Woven' wire 'fa'bri'c',` exemplified 'at :65,vis secured 'to the .posts and tofthe rail, for closing the space between posts and under'the rail. (See Figs..2 and 3).V i w The fabric is secured to thepostsbylmeans of clips `66 which may be in the form of wire loops respectively received facross wires iof the wire ifabricrand lpassing .through 'diagonally opposite .given ones -.o f lthe holes, 'the ends of the wires being bent respectively up and down lengthwise of lthe, post, .as shown at 67, for securing theV parts't'ogether.

The rail fandzthe wirezfa'brioare secured together by means of clips 72 extending across the upper wall of'thelrail. fSee Figs. 2, 6 and 7). 'The lclip "is provided -with a forward hook-end`73 v'received'through the "mesh of'the 'wire fabric 'and hookingacross' the'Wire thereof. The opposite end of the clip is bent across the rear edge of the upper double flange of the rail, as shown at 74.

Strands 7 of Wire, preferably barbed Wire, are stretched across and between the overhanging upper portions of the posts. (See Figs. 2, 8 and 9). The respective flanges of these overhanging portions are provided with holes 7' 6, arranged in groups at difierent points in the length of said overhanging portions, the holes of the respective groups being preferably at the respective sides of the Web of said overhanging portion, and diagonally arranged with relation to the web. The Wire is preferably received across the overhanging portion of the post between the holes of a group of holes, and secured in place by a clip 77 placed diagonally With reference to the Wire, and the respective ends of the clip being received through the holes and bent upon the lower faces of the slanting flanges of said overhanging portions, lengthwise of said overhanging portions as shown at 78.

My improved fence is of simple construction, of few parts and is exceptionally compact and rigid. It is further of pleasing appearance.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a fence, the combination of a post of substantially I cross-section the middle portions of the double flanges at the respective edges of the web of which are bulged outwardly in the plane of said web, and said post having side upright grooves opening in the direction of the plane of the fence, a rail of similar cross-section having side upright grooves opening perpendicular to the plane of the fence, the end of said rail received in one of the grooves of said post, and a strap about said post, the respective ends of which are provided With flanges located in said respective grooves in said rail, and means securing said flanges to the web of said rail.

2. In a fence, the combination of a post of substantially I cross-section, and a rail of similar cross-section, said post and said rail each having a groove in each side thereof forming` the web and the double flange at each edge of said web in said post and in said rail respectively, the web of said post having a substantially I opening extending in upright direction, said rail received in said opening With the height of said rail extending in upright direction in said post, the web of said post at each side of said opening provided with a tongue, said tongues projecting toWard each other, and forming laterally projecting spaces above and below said tongues, one of said tongues located in each of said grooves in the respective sides of said rail, and said I opening including its said laterally projecting spaces in said signed my name. WALLACE S. RICH. 

